** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65 integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback " controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II ) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other. The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.




..... Phil

On 25/06/2017 9:16 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Weird. Most Luxman valve stuff fetches really good money.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

On 25/06/2017 9:16 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Clearly, someone thinks it is worth some money:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUXMAN-SQ65-...QAAOSw44BYc0nJ

I think I have an SQ65 in the garage. I recall that one of the output
transformers had failed, but the other is probably OK. Let me know if
you wish to pursue further. Perhaps you can resurrect yours.




--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Trevor Wilson wrote:

-----------------------

Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Clearly, someone thinks it is worth some money:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUXMAN-SQ65-...QAAOSw44BYc0nJ


** I saw that JAPANESE listing and feel it must be from a crazy person.

There are simply no others.


I think I have an SQ65 in the garage. I recall that one of the output
transformers had failed, but the other is probably OK. Let me know if
you wish to pursue further. Perhaps you can resurrect yours.


** Not interested without a customer lined up to pay me $500 or so.

Up front.



....... Phil

Trouble is though fixing a transformer is not a trivial thing, and if the
system has valves no longer made it is going to be a nightmare as well.Was
this the one which was one of the first pcb mounted valve devices that
tended to get warped boards due to heat? It was a long long time ago. My old
Rogers was point to point wired, in fact still is and still works, but then
its a much lower powered device and although itsounds nice I doubt it would
cut it against relatively cheap units today, but is good as a foot warmer!
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...
On 25/06/2017 9:16 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Weird. Most Luxman valve stuff fetches really good money.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Does make one wonder what trashes a speaker transformer primary though. One
would have thought they would be pretty robust in normal use.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Phil Allison" wrote in message
...
Trevor Wilson wrote:

-----------------------

Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Clearly, someone thinks it is worth some money:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUXMAN-SQ65-...QAAOSw44BYc0nJ


** I saw that JAPANESE listing and feel it must be from a crazy person.

There are simply no others.


I think I have an SQ65 in the garage. I recall that one of the output
transformers had failed, but the other is probably OK. Let me know if
you wish to pursue further. Perhaps you can resurrect yours.


** Not interested without a customer lined up to pay me $500 or so.

Up front.



...... Phil

Brian Gaff wrote:

------------------------

Trouble is though fixing a transformer is not a trivial thing, and if the
system has valves no longer made it is going to be a nightmare as well.



** The valves are not the issue - 7868s ( 9 pin ) have an equivalent, the 7199 octal type. Means fitting new sockets.

The 6DT8 appears to be a 6.3V heater version of the 12AT7 - so rewiring the sockets is all you need to do.

The output tranny is a deal breaker, but the overall parts cost and time needed are way out of the ball park.


Was
this the one which was one of the first pcb mounted valve devices that
tended to get warped boards due to heat?


** All point to point hand wired - very nice IMO.


It was a long long time ago. My old
Rogers was point to point wired, in fact still is and still works, but then
its a much lower powered device and although itsounds nice I doubt it would
cut it against relatively cheap units today, but is good as a foot warmer!
Brian



** Did some repairs on a Rogers Cadet II amp and pre late last year.

Neat little system.


..... Phil

Brian Gaff wrote:

------------------------


Does make one wonder what trashes a speaker transformer primary though. One
would have thought they would be pretty robust in normal use.


** Open circuit windings in OTs are usually the result of copper corrosion.

The Luxman trannys are enclosed in a steel container - much like the Quad II ones and potted in wax or similar too - making it even odder ;-)

Each weighs 1.75 kg and handles 40 watts fine.


..... Phil

"Trevor Wilson" wrote in message
...
On 25/06/2017 9:16 PM, Phil Allison wrote:

** Hi,


this week a old customer donated his long out of use Luxman SQ65
integrated, valve amp to me saying maybe I could fix it, sell it and
make some money.

What an optimist, the amp is over 50 years old and still has most of
the original valves fitted - plus 3 missing. Some of the valves are
oddball, like 6DT8s phase splitters and 7868 noval outputs - neither
type available in Australia.

The SQ65 is sort of famous for having both " motional feedback "
controls and using cathode feedback in the output stage (a la Quad II
) so I persisted.

Put it on the bench for basic tests, gradually winding it up with a
Variac and immediately found the main electros had depolarised. Next
I found the bridge rectifier was only working half wave and even then
with a huge voltage drop.

So I fitted a new bridge across the old one and after half an hour
reached full AC supply without smoke so I let it soak for an hour or
so.

My ESR meter informed that the main (dual can) filter electro was
worn out - various others seemed still functional.

Then I checked the two output transformers with an ohmmeter and got
strange readings from the first but the expected ones from the other.
The first tranny proved to have an open primary winding - damn.

So fixing the thing for profit was completely out of the question.

I extracted the good output tranny and bench tested it using 240VAC
across half the primary and a 16ohm dummy load on the secondary. Ran
it for several hours until it got warm and saw no problems. At a
pinch it might do as a replacement in my a Quad II workshop amp one
day.

Based on Googling, I discovered that if fixed and working well an
SQ65 has little value and there is simply no demand.

It will be going out on the next council clean up day.


**Weird. Most Luxman valve stuff fetches really good money.


There is one currently on e-Bay for GBP 1954.29

Iain

"Phil Allison" wrote in message
...
Brian Gaff wrote:

------------------------


Does make one wonder what trashes a speaker transformer primary though.
One
would have thought they would be pretty robust in normal use.


** Open circuit windings in OTs are usually the result of copper
corrosion.

The Luxman trannys are enclosed in a steel container - much like the Quad
II ones and potted in wax or similar too - making it even odder ;-)

Each weighs 1.75 kg and handles 40 watts fine.

It was clearly a quality product. I have been trying to find
the original sale price.

I suppose one could look for another one for spares and parts
and cannibalise to make one working unit, but that's a slippery
slope :-)

Iain